The only icebreaker you’ll ever need

The holidays bring holiday events, and holiday events bring conversations with strangers. On the advice of Terry Gross, I’ve started using a four-word phrase to navigate these moments: “Tell me about yourself.”

Dubbed “the only icebreaker you’ll ever need,” tell me about yourself allows you to start a conversation with anybody without accidentally bringing up something uncomfortable (like asking an unemployed person, “What do you do for work?”)

Next time you’re with someone new, give tell me about yourself a shot. I’ve been using it for the past thirty days, and every time I do, people get talking and I learn something. When they share a detail that I find particularly interesting, all I have to say is, “Ooo, tell me more about that.” And the ball keeps rolling.